The former Brazilian president detained after being declared a flight risk

The former Brazilian leader has been arrested after authorities concluded he posed a serious risk of fleeing while under home confinement.

The former head of state was sentenced of orchestrating a armed takeover in the ninth month and sentenced more than 27 years in incarceration, but he remained under house arrest pending court reviews.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Justice Moraes said the decision to arrest the septuagenarian politician was a preventative measure after "new facts" were revealed.

This involved attempting to break his ankle monitor and a invitation to a public vigil that could facilitate a possible escape.

Legal Document Reveals Escape Risks

In a filing authorising the arrest, Justice Moraes said data from the unit overseeing his home detention suggested the one-time head of state's plan to remove the electronic ankle bracelet to secure accomplishment in his escape.

This, it said, would be "facilitated by the chaos caused by the gathering called by his child.

His child, his son Flávio, who works as a legislator, called for a gathering of his backers near Bolsonaro's home to take place on Saturday evening.

His son wrote on social media on Friday: Will you battle for your country, or see it all from your smartphone there on your sofa? I invite you to struggle with us."

He said the vigil would be so backers could offer prayers for his physical condition and for the restoration of democratic rule in our country."

Embassy Asylum Concerns

Part of the magistrate's decision was the possibility of his transfer to embassies near the home, considering that the probes revealed a record of organizing to seek refuge through a embassy office", a statement said.

The judicial paperwork highlights that the United States embassy in the federal district, Brasilia, is positioned around 8 miles from the former president's residence.

Global Responses

Bolsonaro's legal woes have provoked anger from fellow conservative nationalist US President Donald Trump, causing him to impose a fifty percent tax on imports of Brazilian goods.

The former president is being kept in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will undergo a imprisonment assessment on the next day.

Recent Legal Requests

It was only on last Friday that the former president's lawyers asked the Top Court to permit him to fulfill his full incarceration period under house arrest, with digital surveillance.

They also asked that he be allowed to exit his dwelling for healthcare, saying he needed frequent medical attention for respiratory ailments and other health problems.

Context of Sentencing

He was found guilty of leading a conspiracy aimed at retaining his authority after he was defeated in the national vote to his left-wing rival, Lula.

Supreme Court justices said that he knew of a plot which encompassed plans to assassinate Lula and his VP candidate, Alckmin, and to detain and kill the presiding judge - the High Court judge who has been overseeing his judicial proceedings.

The conspiracy was prevented because it failed to get the backing of the army and air force commanders. Lula was sworn in without incident on January 1st, 2023.

But a seven days after, on the eighth of January, thousands of his backers attacked and damaged public facilities in the national capital, Brasília.

The police took action and around fifteen hundred individuals were detained.

The justices found that the demonstrators had been provoked by him whose scheme, they said, was for the Brazilian military to take action, reestablish control and bring him back to power.

At the moment, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the over 27-year sentence extremely harsh.

He was also barred from campaigning for office until twenty-sixty - eight years later after the end of his sentence.

The one-time head of state called the trial a "witch hunt and said it was designed to prevent him participating in the 2026 national vote.